Can handling machine



0, 1940. A. R. THOMPSON CAN HANDLING MACHINE Filed May 5, 193' 2Sheets-Shet l ATTORNEY.

20, 1940- A. R. THO MPSON 2,211,801

CAN -HANDLING MACHINE Filed May 5, 193 z Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR.fl/fiarf. MOM/0600.

A TTOR Y.

Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Food MachineryCorporation, San Jose,

Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application May 5, 1937, Serial No.140,842

22 Claims.

' concerned with the provision of a new and improved conveying mechanismof the so-called reel and spiral type such as commonly employed in thecanning industry to convey cans through cookers, coolers, and similarprocessing equipment. This application is a continuation in part of myco-pending application, Serial No. 46,264, filed October 23, 1935, andis filed as a substitute therefor.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a-can conveyingmechanism of the general type referred to, in which provision is madefor minimizing or eliminating injuries to the cans such as haveheretofore occurred in the operation of devices of this kind.

It is also an object to provide such a mechanism which is lesssusceptible to jamming, and requires less power to operate, than devicesof similar type heretofore known.

Various other objects and advantages, as well as the several structuralfeatures of apparatus embodying the invention, will best be understoodfrom the-following detailed description of a concrete example taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pressure cooker embodying the invention,a portion of the shell being broken away at the right to illustrate thereel and can trackway in elevation, and a second portion of the shell,together with portions of the reel and can trackway, being broken awayat the left to illustrate a vertical section through the axis of themachine. Several pusher bars hereinafter referred to, have been omittedfor purposes of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view takenalong the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 andillustrates the manner in which the cans are advanced by the reel;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view from line 3-3 of Fig. 2 withcertain portions broken away to show a can in relation to the trackwayand pusher bar; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view from line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is aside elevation, similar to Fig. 1 and similarly broken away,but illustrating amodified form of the invention. The entire reelassembly is omitted to show the trackway more clearly. I

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic transverse sectional view of the cookerillustrated in Fig. 5.

. Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view from the lineI-l in Fig. 6 withgertain parts broken away to show a can in relation to the trackway anda pusher bar.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 with the pusher bar omitted, and istaken from the line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, taken from the line e e of Fig. 6.

The cooker illustrated in Figs. 1-4 comprises a horizontally disposedcylindrical shell I supported on legs 2 and closed at its ends by heads3 to form a treating chamber therewithin which may contain a body ofheating liquid heated in any suitable manner as by steam introducedthrough a steam header 4. The cans to be treated may be introduced intothe cooker through the usual port 5 surrounded by a base and adapter 6for a turret valve ,of conventional construction (not shown), anddischarged from the. cooker after treatment through a similar valveapparatus at l. The construction and operation of such valves is wellknown in the art, and forms no part of the present invention so that itis believed unnecessary to illustrate further details of theirconstruction.

- The mechanism for conveying the cans through the cooker includes aT-shaped guide rail 8 secured to the inner wall of the cooker shell Iand extending therearound in a series of helix-like convolutions to forma helix-like canway extending from the can inlet to the can outlet. Thecans are advanced along the can track by means of a rotatable reel ofconventional construction arranged concentrically of the can track andmade up of a. plurality of spider rings 9 secured to a drive shaft IIand carrying on their peripheries a series of angle iron pusher bars inwhich ,extend longitudinally of the reel axis for propelling engagementwith the cans introduced into the canway through the inlet port 5.

It will be understood that, in operation, the reel shaft ll may bedriven from any suitable source of power so as to rotate the reel, and acontinuous procession of cans may be introduced through the inlet 5which directs the cans into one end of the canway and into the channelsbetween the reel bars Ill. As the cans are advanced by-the'rotatingreel, the canway guides them to the discharge valve through which theyare finally discharged from the machine.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, it is to be observed that theconvolutions of the guide rail 8 are not truly helical, but extend in aseries of alternately leading and non-leading sections, and thisconstruction constitutes an important departure from the prior practiceof em-{ ploying conventional helical canways having a continuous leadthroughout their length.

As illustrated, the upper or overlying portions of the guide rail, 8a,extending above the level of the reel axis are plane curves and lie inplanes normal to the reel axis. In other words, they have no lead. Thelower or underlying portions of the guide rail 81; extending below thelevel of the reel axis are helically bent or warped to give them ahelical lead.

The several important advantages of the modified helical constructionjust described will perhaps best be understood by reference to Fig. 2which illustrates the manner in which the cans are advanced by the reel.be observed that as the cans on the ascending side of the reel arelifted above the level of the reel axis, they settle inwardly againstthe base flanges of the pusher bars l0 and out of peripheral engagementwith the base flanges of the guide rail 8 which is necessarily spacedfrom the reel a distance somewhat greater than the can diameters so asto prevent dragging of the cans and consequent injury thereto. Thus thecans resting upon the upper surface of the reel are bodily conveyedwithout individual rotation on their own axes.

On the other hand, it is to be observed that the cans 'on the descendingside of the reel roll outwardly away from the reel as they are loweredbelow the level of the reel axis, and rest against the base flanges ofthe guide rail 8. The cans are thereby caused to roll along the lower orunderlying portions of the canway until they are again carried above thelevel of the reel axis on the ascending side of the reel.

I have discovered that the excessive wear on the can heads which hasheretofore frequently resulted from the use of the reel and conventionalhelical canway, is directly attributable to the action of the helicalcan guide as the cans are bodily conveyed by the upper surface of thereel. It will be understood that when the sealed cans are subjected toheat treatment, the resulting expansion'of the can contents causes thecan heads to bulge outwardly more or less as illustrated in Figs. 3 and4, depending upon the amount of heat applied, and the can heads therebyfrictionally engage the guide rail as the latter guides the cans throughthe machine. This frictional engagement is illustrated in Fig. 3.

The resulting wear on the can heads is comparatively slight during thetravel of the cans over the lower portions of the can path, this beingdue to their rolling motionwhereby they offer a minimum of resistance tothe endwise thrust of the guide. Moreover, the heating liquid which iscustomarily contained in the cooker also buoys up the cans to a certainextent, thereby further facilitating shifting of the cans.

During the travel of the cans over the upper portions of the can path,however, where they are bodily conveyed by the reel without beingrolled, the frictional resistance of the reel against endwise movementof the cans is greatly increased, and this resistance is frequentlyfurther increased by the roughness of the pusher bars resultin from theeffects of rust and corrosion which unavoidably occur in machinery ofthis character.

It will be seen, therefore, that where a guide rail of the conventionalhelical form is employed, that is to say, one having a continuous lead,throughout its length, a considerable amount of friction takes placebetween the canheads and the guide rail during the periods when the cansIn this figure it will are conveyed over the upper section of the reel.As a result, the abrasive action of the guide on the can heads may scoreor wear away portions of the tin coating on the can heads and leaveblack marks or spots which may eventually rust. Such unsightly andweakened cans are not acceptable to the trade and represent aconsiderable loss to the canner.

Another serious difliculty is not infrequently met with in the operationof machines employing the conventional helical canways, when it isdesired to handle cans of the flat type, that is to say, cans which areof relatively small height as compared with their diameters. Such cans,when resting on their sides are more easily tipped than the taller cansso that the endwise thrust exerted against them by the can guide as theyare carried over the top of the reel, has a tendency to tip them andcause them to be wedged between the reel and guide and thereby becomedented, otherwise deformed, or even crushed. Such tendency becomes evenmore pronounced, of course, where corrosion has roughened the canengaging surfaces of the reel.

I have found that the foregoing difficulties are effectively overcome byapparatus employing the modified helical canway of the presentinvention. It will be apparent that by restricting the lead of the canguide to the lower portions of its convolutions, the cans are subjectedto the endwise thrust of the guide only during the periods when they arerolling. As illustrated in Fig. 4, no thrust is exerted against themduring the upper portion of their travel where they are supported on thereel without being rolled, since the corresponding portions of the canguide are without lead.

As hereinabove noted, the resistance of the cans to endwise thrust is ata minimum during their periods of rolling movement, so that endwiseshifting of the cans during these periods may be accomplished with acomparatively small degree of friction between the can heads and theguide rail. Consequently, by utilizing the form of canway contemplatedby my invention, the only wear on the can heads is so negligible as tohave no injurious effects. Moreover it will be apparent that can of theflat type may be handled with greater safety since there is little or nodanget of tipping them, during their rolling movement, and therebyjamming the machine.

It will also be observed that less power is required for operation thanwhere the conventional helical form of canway is employed due to thegreater ease with which the endwise movement of the cans isaccomplished.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, isgenerally similar to that described, but differs therefrom to providecertain added functions while substantially retaining the advantages ofthe described structure.

It has been found that on the descending side of the reel where thepusher bars are in effect moving away from under the cans, and the canstravel under the influence of gravity rather than being pushed, theleading sections 8b of the guide rail can be advantageously extendedabove the reel axis to begin approximately as indicated at A in Figs. 5and 6, and to terminate at B, below the reel axis onv the ascending sideof the reel. Thus, the cans will begin their endwise travelapproximately 45 before reaching the horizontal plane of the reel axisand because the cans are travelling under the influence of gravity noex- 76 cessive wear of the can ends will occur as they are free for moreor less shifting movement.

Also, it has been found that most of the small amount of wear presentwith the structure of Figs. 1 to 4, occurs in approximately the last45'- of travel before the cans arrive at the horizontal plane of thereel axis. To eliminate this remaining major source of wear the railsections 80 (Figs. 5 and 6) of the guide rail extending from B .to Care. provided with a slight amount of reverse lead as compared with thelead from A to B, as illustrated in Fig. 8. This reverse lead is soselected with reference to the can length and the spacing betweenadjacent convolutions of the guide rail, that the active rail section 80for a can moves away from the can, so as to leave the can positionedsubstantially centrally of and entirely free of both adjacentconvolutions of the guide rail. Thus, when a can reaches position C itis entirely free of the guide rail, and will remain free during itsbodily carriage by the reel past non-leading sections 8a of the rail.

From the above description, it will be notedthat the location of'theleading rail sections is so selected as to further minimize wear duringendwise travelof the cans as well as to enable the elimination ofsubstantially all wear during travel of the cans without endwisemovement. This improved structure also serves to further lessen theamount of power required for operation.

Although I have described my invention as it may be utilized in acooking apparatus, it will be appreciated that its usefulness is notconfined thereto, but it may also be used in connection with other typesof apparatus such as coolers, for example, or it may be used alone,simply as a conveyor. Furthermore, it will be understood that althoughin the form of canway first illustrated and described, the lead extendsover substantially the lower halvesof the canway conevolution s, itcould, and under proper circumstances might desirably be extended overmore than half, or confined to less than half without sacrificing theadvantages of the invention, as illustrated and described in connectionwith Figs; to 9. In other forms of apparatus embodying my invention, theleading portions of the canway might desirably be relocated in. otherways to meet varying conditions and to minimize wear under thoseconditions. I desire it to be unders ood therefore that the invention isnot limited to the particular application or precise details ofconstruction illustrated, but that various applications, modifications.and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention. and I deem myself entitled to all suchapplications, modifications, and variations as come within the scope ofthe claims appended hereto.

Having now described my invention, and. in what manner the same may beused, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a can handling apparatus having a stationarysurface and a conveyor cooperatively related thereto, wherein the cansare moved by alternately rolling the same on said surface whilesupported thereon and by bodily carriage without rolling on saidsurface, means engageable with the ends of the cans for shifting saidcans endwise during their rolling movement only. a

I 2. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, meansforming a canway,an adjacent horizontally disposed rotatable can propelling reel adaptedto carry cans over portions of the canway surface and to roll said cansalong the adjacent canway at other portions of said surface with saidcans supported by said surface, said canway comprising a series ofinterrupted helical sections arranged for engagement with the propelledcans during their rolling movement only. 7

3. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontally disposedrotatable can propelling reel, means forming a canway arranged inadjacent cooperative relation with said reel for guiding the propelledcans, and having a series of helically trending sections extending partway around the reel, s'aid reel being operable to bodily conveysaidcansduring a part of their travel and to ,roll said cans along the helicallytrending sections of the canway with the thereby.

4. In an apparatus for handiing canned goods. a horizontally disposedrotatable can propelling reel, means forming a canway arranged'inadjacent cooperative relation with said reel for guiding the propelledcans, said canway having a series of helically trending sectionsadjacent the lower portion of the reel and extending part way onlyaround the reel to support the cans when below the axis of said reelwhile moving them endwise along the reel.

5. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, means forming ahorizontally extending helixlike canway having its convolutions formedto provide alternate leading and non-leading portions, and a rotatablecan propelling reel coaxially arranged with respect to the said canwayand operable to roll the cans along the leading portions of said canwayand to bodily convey said cans along the non-leading portions of thecanway.

6.-In an apparatus for handling canned goods,

a horizontally disposed rotatable can propelling reel, and means forminga helix-like canway surrounding said reel and'having its convolutionsformed to provide leading portions adjacent the lower portion-of thefeel and non-leading'portions adjacent the upper portion of the reel.

7. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontally disposedrotatable can propelling reel, and a helix-like can guide surroundingsaid reel for engagement with propelled cans to shift said cansendwiselongitudinally of the reel, the upper portions of the guideconvolutions being substantially without lead whereby endwise movementof the cans is confined to the lower portions of their path of travel.

8. In combination, a horizontal cylindrical shell, a rotary conveyerprovided with can propelling means arranged to receive cans therebetween for free movement between the shell and the conveyor bothradially and axially thereof, and canway means in said shell includingstationary canway portions having'leading and nonleading sections, saidleading sections having an axial trend so disposed with respect to saidconcans supported I veyer as to cause cans propelled thereby torollingly engage the canway while moving therealong.

9. The combination with a horizontal cylindrical shell and a rotaryconveyor provided with can propelling means arranged to receive canstherebetween, whereby cans in the'upper portion of said shell arecarriedb'odily by said conveyor and cans in the lower portion of saidshell rollingly engage a stationary surface of said shell, of means forshifting said cans endwise during their rolling movement only? 10.The'combination with a horizontal cyliningly engage a stationary surfaceof said shell,

of canway means in said shell including stationary canway portionshaving an axial trend and arranged in said shell to shift said cansendwise during their rolling movement only.

11. The combination with a can conveying apparatus including ahorizontal cylindrical shell wherein the cans are alternately rolledwhile supported by said shell and bodily conveyed without being rolled,of helix-like canway means disposed in said shell to effect endwiseshifting of said cans during their rolling movement only.

12. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontally disposedrotatable can propelling reel, and a continuous helix-like can guidesurrounding said reel and having alternate leading and non-leadingsections therein, said leading sections effecting progression of thecans by engagement with the ends thereof.

13. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontally disposedrotary conveyor having can propelling means thereon, and means forming ahelix-like canway surrounding said conveyor, said can propelling meansand said canway means providing for free radial movement of canstherebetween whereby cans are alternately carried bodily by said canpropelling means and rollingly engage a stationary surface of saidcanway means, and said canway means having an axial trend for a portiononly of each convolution thereof for effecting endwise movement of cansby engagement with the ends thereof.

14. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontal shell, ahorizontal can propelling reel rotatably mounted in said shell, pusherbars on said reel providing longitudinal can receiving troughs on saidreel for bodily carrying cans supported thereby, and in which troughsthe cans are free for both axial and radial movement relative to thereel, and a helix-like can guide in said shell around said reel tosupport the cans and limit radial movement thereof relative to the reelas the troughs are inverted during rota tion of the reel, said guidehaving leading and non-leading sections to control .the axial movementof said cans relative to the reel, said leading sections eifectingendwise shifting of the cans by engagement with the ends thereof, andsaid non-leading sections being arranged in nonshifting relation to thecans during bodily carriage thereof by said reel.

15. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontal shell, ahorizontal can propelling reel rotatably mounted in said shell, pushermeans on said reel providing longitudinal can receiving troughs on saidreel for bodily carrying cans supported thereby, and in which troughsthe cans are free for both axial and radial movement relative to thereel, and means forming a'helix-like canway in said shell around saidreel to support the cans and limit radial movement thereof relative tothe reel less as the troughs are inverted during rotation of the reel,said guide having leading and non-leading sections to control the axialmovement of said cans relative to the reel, said leading sectionseffecting endwise shifting of the cans .by engagement with the endsthereof and said non-leading sections being arranged in non-shiftingrelation to the cans during bodily carriage thereof by said reel.

16. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontal shell, ahorizontal can propelling reel 'mounted in said shell, pusher bars onsaid reel providing longitudinal troughs on said reel in which the cansare free for both axial and radial movement relative to the reel, and ahelix-like can guide in said shell around said reel to limit radialmovement of the cans relative to the reel and to provide in eachconvolution of the canway a leading section for efiecting endwisemovement of the cans by engagement with the ends thereof, said leadingsection of each convolution extending from a location above the reelaxis on the descending side of said reel to a location below the reelaxis on the ascending side of said reel.

17. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontal shell, ahorizontal can propelling reel mounted on said shell, pusher means onsaid reel providing longitudinal troughs on said reel in which the cansare free for both axial and radial movement relative to the reel, and acontinuous helix-like can guide in said shell around said reel forlimiting movement of cans radially of the reel and for controlling theendwise movement of cans along said troughs by engagement with the endsof the cans; each convolution of said can guide including a leadingsection having an axial trend in one direction for effecting endwisemovement of the cans, a second leading section having an axial trend inthe opposite direction of an amount to effect recession of the guidefrom the can whereby a can is positioned between and out of contact withadjacent convolutions, and a non-leading section extending from saidsecond leading section to the can mov ing leading section of the nextconvolution.

18. In an apparatus for handling .canned goods, a horizontal shell, ahorizontal can propelling reel mounted in said shell, pusher means onsaid reel providing longitudinal troughs on said reel in which the cansare free for both axial and radial movement relative to the reel, and acontinuous helix-like can guide in said shell around said reel forlimiting radial movement of cans relative to the reel and forcontrolling the end Wise movement of cans along said troughs byengagement with the ends of the cans; each convolution of said can guideincluding a leading section extending from a location above the reelaxis on the descending side of the reel to a location below the reelaxis on the ascending side of the reel and having an axial trend in onedirection for effecting endwise movement of the cans, a second leadingsection extending from said first section to a location substantially inthe plane of the reel axis on the ascending side of the reel and havingan axial trend in the opposite direction of an amount to effectrecession of the guide from the can whereby a can is positioned betweenand out of contact with adjacent 'convolutions, and a non-leadingsection extending from said second leading section to the can movingleading section of'the next convolution of the can guide.

19. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontal shell, ahorizontal can propelling reel mounted in said shell, pusher meansonsaid reel providing longitudinal troughs on said reel in which the cansare free for both axial and radial movement relative to the reel, and acontinuous helix-like can guide in said shell around said reel forlimiting radial movement of cans relative to the reel and forcontrolling the endwise movement of cans along said troughs byengagement with the ends of the cans; each concanway surrounding saidreel and having its convolution of said can guide including a leadingsection extending from a location above the reel axis on the descendingside of the reel to a location I below the reel axis on the ascendingside of the reel and having an axial trend for efi'ecting endwisemovement of the cans, and a non-leading section extending from saidleading section to the leading section of the next convolution of thecan guide.

20. In an apparatus for handling canned goods, a horizontally disposedrotatable can propelling reel, and means forming a helix-like canwaysurrounding said reel and having its convolutions volutions formed toprovide successive leading and non-leading portions, each leadingportion having an axial trend in first one direction and then in theother, whereby to effect endwise movement of .the cans and then to leavethe cans free of said canway as they enter a non-leading portionthereof. v

22. In combination, a horizontal cylindrical shell, canwaymeans in saidshell, a rotary conveyor provided with .canpropelling means arranged toreceive cans therebetween for free movement between the canway means andthe conveyor both radially and axially thereof, whereby the cans arealternately supported by the canway means and said conveyor uponrotation of the latter, said canway means having portions so disposedrelative to said conveyor as to cause axial shifting of the canssupported by said canway and including other portions so positioned asto prevent axial shifting of the cans supported by said conveyor.

AIBER'I' R. THOMPSON.

